FRESH FROM HER bronze heroics earlier this week, Nicole Turner finished fifth in the 50m Freestyle S6 final at the World Para Swimming Championships in Madeira.

The Paralympic silver medallist produced her second-fastest ever swim over the distance with a time of 35.80 seconds. 

In a top class field Ukraine’s Anna Hontar roared home to the gold medal in a new world record time of 32.75 seconds. Hontar was followed home by Vargas Blanco from Colombia and Ellie Marks from the USA.

“I actually changed up, I tried something new, this morning I took one too many breaths, so I tried to manage three there and I did so that was the aim out of the final and whether it worked or not was the question and it did thankfully and it’s about a half second faster than this morning so I’ll take that,” said Turner. 

She will compete in her favoured event on Saturday in the 50m Butterfly.

Earlier, Barry McClements produced another battling performance to finish seventh in the the final of the S9 400m Freestyle Final.

In a field that included world record holder Brendan Hall, McClements battled bravely throughout to touch the wall in 4:28.73.

The race was won by Italian superstar Simone Barlaam, who set a new European record of 4:10.78.

“Definitely, the feeling in the water, and sticking to the race plan and things like that, it’s a lot better than it was before,” remarked McClements. “Right now it’s all about getting that experience and, hopefully, by the time I’m in Paris the PBs will come with that.”

Tomorrow’s penultimate day of the competition is a busy one for Team Ireland as both McClements and Turner return to the pool for the heats in the morning session. 

They’ll be joined by double bronze medallist Róisín Ní Riain who progresses straight to the final of the 400m Freestyle.